Chris Murphy on Immigration

Senate Challenger; Democratic Rep. (CT-5)

Allow more visas for STEM college graduates.

Murphy co-sponsored Attracting the Best and Brightest Act

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make up to 50,000 visas available to qualified immigrants who:

possess a graduate degree at the level of master's or higher in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM degree) from a qualifying U.S. research institution of higher education;

have an employment offer from a U.S. employer in a field related to such degree;

are the subject of an approved labor certification; and

will receive a wage for such employment that is at least the actual wage paid by the employer to all other individuals with similar experience and qualifications.

Makes unused STEM visas available for other employment-based visa categories.

Makes available on the DHS website information regarding foreign STEM employers, the number of aliens granted STEM status, and their occupations.

Welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees now, and more later.

the scale and complexity of the Syrian refugee crisis and the need for the international community to work together to provide resources and capacity to aid refugees;

the humanitarian commitment of Syria's neighbors who have worked to absorb the vast majority of refugees, as well as the European nations who have made commitments to share in the refugee resettlement effort; and

that the refugee crisis is a symptom of the broader conflict in Syria, the persecution of persons based on identity groups, including Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen, and Kurds, and instability in the Middle East and North Africa, and that efforts to resolve those challenges are a necessary component of any plan to address the refugee crisis.

Welcomes the President's decision to admit at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2016, and to increase the overall number of refugees received by the United States to 85,000 in 2016 and 100,000 in 2017.

Opponents reasons for voting NAY: (Rep. Ross introductory remarks to opposing bill H.R.4025) "This legislation prohibits taxpayer dollars from being used to admit Syrian refugees to the United States. ISIS carried out a series of violent attacks in Paris, and reports have indicated at least one of the terrorists who committed these atrocities entered Europe by posing as a refugee fleeing Syria. These horrific attacks provide a warning of what can happen on American soil if we do not take appropriate and immediate action. Reliable intelligence about refugees from countries like Syria attempting to enter the United States is clearly unavailable. More than half of our country's governors have taken immediate action to prevent Syrian refugees from settling in their states. Our own intelligence community has expressed concerns about our capabilities to identify threats. The federal government has no greater responsibility than keeping Americans safe."